How Instagram's being used to make the outdoors more inclusive and diverse

"Though it’s natural to look the other way and think there’s never been a problem with diversity in the outdoors, history shows there is, in fact, a large adventure gap. Additionally, the outdoor industry consistently portrays itself with photos, commercials, and content of mostly white men, on rad adventures, using the most expensive gear in the most remote locations. What this does is create an even larger chasm.

According to Outside magazine, “People of color are very underrepresented in mainstream marketing efforts, yet they contribute significantly to sales.” Outdoor retailers and brands need to accurately reflect the diversity of consumers who purchase their products and work harder in areas of marketing, sizing, and pricing to authentically connect with these consumers. Yes, large retailers like REI, Patagonia, and The North Face (among others) have taken steps in diversifying their ad campaigns, apparel sizes, and social media to highlight women of different shapes and sizes, as well as people of color.

Instagram now plays a vital role in helping close the adventure gap across the online digital landscape. To help paint a more vivid picture, we tracked down a few of the top accounts across the platform who are truly advocating for better visibility and representation of marginalized groups in adventure sports and outdoor recreation." -Victoria Sambursky, Digital Trends